The surname Greanewold is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the Old English words meaning "green" and "wood." No doubt, the first family to bear this name lived in or near a dense forest or "whose abode was 'the merrie green-wood.' " [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.

Early Origins of the Greanewold family

The surname Greanewold was first found in Yorkshire where the name is "a well-known Yorkshire name. Of course other spots might give rise to the surname. But it is absolutely certain that some small spot between Huddersfield and Slaithwaite has given birth to the Greenwoods, who have ramified so marvelously in that county." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)

As one might expect, the YorkshirePoll Tax Rolls of 1379, list Johannes de Grenewode et Agnes uxor ejus, ffarmour de Graunge in Huddersfield; Johanna de Grenewoode; and Ricardus de Grenewode. [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)

The Greenward variant is an interesting one. In this case, the name literally means "keeper of the village green" from the Old English word "weard" and the first record of the family was Adam Grenewerde who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1276 in Yorkshire. The same rolls also listed John de Grenewode and also holding lands in Yorkshire at that time. [3]CITATION[CLOSE]Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)

Early History of the Greanewold family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Greanewold research.Another 210 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1593 and 1593 are included under the topic Early Greanewold History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Early Notables of the Greanewold family (pre 1700)

Another 23 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Greanewold Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Greanewold family to Ireland

Some of the Greanewold family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Greanewold family to the New World and Oceana

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Nathaniel Greenwood who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in the year 1654. He had arrived in the New World on the "Increase" the previous year. Samuel Greenwood also arrived in Boston in the year 1670. Both families had come from the English county of Norfolk, just south of Yorkshire. John Greenwood was banished to Barbados in 1679.